A comparative content analysis of newspaper coverage about extreme risk protection order policies in

Aubel et al. BMC Public Health (2022) 22:981

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13374-8

RESEARCH

A comparative content analysis

of newspaper coverage about extreme

risk protection order policies in passing

and non-passing US states

Amanda J. Aubel1,2* , Rocco Pallin1,2, Christopher E. Knoepke3,4, Garen J. Wintemute1,2 and

Nicole Kravitz‑Wirtz1,2

Abstract

Background: Extreme risk protection order (ERPO) laws are a tool for frearm violence prevention (in efect in 19

states), often enacted in the wake of a public mass shooting when media coverage of gun violence tends to spike. We

compared news media framing of ERPOs in states that passed and those that considered but did not pass such laws

after the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Methods: We conducted a content analysis of 244 newspaper articles about ERPOs, published in 2018, in three pass‑

ing (FL, VT, RI) and three non-passing states (PA, OH, CO). Measures included language used, stakeholders mentioned,

and scientifc evidence cited. We use chi-square tests to compare the proportion of articles with each measure of

interest in passing versus non-passing states.

Results: Compared to newspaper coverage of non-passing states, news articles about ERPOs in passing states more

often used only ofcial policy names for ERPOs (38% vs. 23%, p=.03), used less restrictive language such as “pre‑

vent” to describe the process of suspending frearm access (15% vs. 3%, p<.01), mentioned gun violence prevention

advocacy groups (41% vs. 28%, p=.08), and referenced research on ERPOs (17% vs. 7%, p=.03). Articles about passing

states also more often explicitly stated that a violent event was or could have been prevented by an ERPO (20% vs.

6%, p<.01).

Conclusions: Media messaging that frames gun violence as preventable, emphasizes identifable markers of risk, and

draws on data in conjunction with community wisdom may support ERPO policy passage. As more states consider

ERPO legislation, especially given endorsement by the Biden-Harris administration, deeper knowledge about success‑

ful media framing of these life-saving policies can help shape public understandings and support.

Keywords: Firearm policy, Violence prevention, Media framing, Red fag law, Health communication, Extreme risk

protection order

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Background

Public mass shootings are a relatively rare form of gun

violence, but draw substantial media attention. Research

has documented large spikes in news coverage of gun

violence and frearm policy immediately following pub￾lic mass shootings [1, 2]. In this way, mass shootings

Open Access

*Correspondence: [email protected]

1

Violence Prevention Research Program, Department of Emergency

Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, 2315 Stockton

Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA

Full list of author information is available at the end of the article